The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-13
GEN. Axeriil,. Npeesl,.

FELLOW COUNTRYhEN--I thank you for the
homer that your invitation brought to me
and for the great ple isure of meeting you on
this occasion Of the yearly IeaNa kening of
the cherished memories OF your departed
sold ers. Your courteous summons made
me happy by informing me that 1 was yet
alive, for to be fotgotten is to be dead, and
gladly come to assist IN memorial ,ervice
which thallH keep alive in memory the days
AT d deeds of those brave men Of yours who
are MOI dead but living i'm IN ortally-just
beyond the bourne Of earthly sense.
Un1oub e1ly there are many people in
war at long range and are pot yet aware that
IL is over. And some double tongued states
men who may feel surprised that one who
hal invaded and psrvaded, your county
with an active armed force should be asked
to receive your hospitality on an occasion
like this, when you are perpetuating the sad
but eroic memories he had helped 10 create.
When last was here, twenty. three years
ago, these hills had zen resounding with
the dreadful thunder Of artillery and the
deadly rattle of musketry, ana the dust of
those trampled fields had been Redeemed
with the blood OF contending armies.
Now the shenandoah valley brims to the
mountain tops with the quiet atmosphere
and sunny glow of peace, and the fields as
as far as the eye can reach, are covered with
billOwiDg mantle OF prosperity:
" here once outpos's and pickets were set
guard my command against brave and
persistent enemy, now stand alone a vel
coined guest. / thank God and you for the
changed conditions. l have experienced
every vicissitude of war, including being
killed, for have been half killed twice, but
of ell the triumphs have ever eujoi ed this
piece OF victory today is the grandest and
most satisfactory.
Among the causes of this notable event
recognize fl st n growing custt M which viii
satisfy the universal longing OF al inca to
escape oblivion when their turn shall came
to stand the test OF remembrance. eeoon id y,
| recognize in my own we, come the highest
compliment that you could paw to my cOm-
mand by remembering that when II was
he re in your country fighting for the restora-
tion OF the Union and the preservation Of our
nationality, 1t did lot attack the defense
less--that il fought your soldiers with cour-
aga and energy, but held your homes as far
as possible sacred from the touch OF war.
Since your invitation to N Q was announced
have received letters from many fmy Off
GERS ana men In different parts OF the coun-
try expressing their qualification a. your
action.
command; they remember how, when new
nv d untried, it fought your army OF West
Virginia in August, '63, at Rocky Gap, near
White Sulphur Springs, without discre1it,
for twenty.f ,ur hour, how il again attacked
an d routed that army Mt DfOop Mountain in
November of that year, and you car not for,
get how portion OF my command' zoUV
mounted men, penetrate your lines beyond
$50 miles and destroyed the valu bic up
plies OF Longst'eet and tho riroad ut ) &
lem, and that same 300, after doire thsw
of destruction, turned heir face northward
and faced the wintry tempest o. December,
'63, and marched, climbed, Gid and
swum" through ana around 20 o. OF your
best and b,avest, and escaped capture; how,
early in '6i, 22i0 Of them Id cir horses in
single file over the mountains OF West Vir-
ginia and descended upon the Tennessee
ilroad near Wythvi 10, holding in bloody
~ hn Nor
his junction with. tho, forces of
Gen. jenkins at Dublin, and ensuring the
defeat of the latter at lloyd mountain; yu
all remember our part in tho Lynchburg e1-
petition, and the division OF Ramseur IN
EaIly's amy, and especially The Stonewali
brigade com manded by tho gallant q n.
l. ly, will remember the loss OF their battery
and 200 or 300 men at CaTter's talm, n. ar
Winchester, in July, 1864, md the division
Of n cJausland cannot forget Moor6eld whom
IL was surprised At dawn of day on August
3, 1854, and lost its battery, cOlofs, q
large number OF its men and no SIS; and my
great and good frier d, your ga liant soldier
ton IF our attack or your left 1T Wine chez
ter, on Septe mber 10 1864, who're the bril-
liant prospscts which awaited the heroic
efforts Of Early's army " re. turned, into
hopeless defeat, And finally that wopd lriul
active army of Early and the gallgn Lomax,
who commanded its left, at tishor,s NH
will recolleot the assault OF my division
which turned his lett ard brought sudden
victory TO our arms. All hose remembrance os
are still glowing and glorious, b It above
them all chimes the everlasting gold in ohal-
lenge to the men and women Of rginia TO
recall an instance whore tho sanotlty OF
home was invaded by any otficer or man OF
my division, without swift and eO9diEn
punishment overtaking the offender. Sweet
as the fragrance Of flowers will be 10 my
officers and men this recognition OF their
discipline and high sense Of duty which you
extend to their com mander today. MY men,
proud Of their oharao or as 60 dierS, tasted
in those terrible days the hrst fruits OF duty
done when my division formed part OF q
larger force. ar d hey saw women come TO
thsir gates with white ia es and disheveled
hair, and heard the IN inquiring OF tho pass
ing column for Averips men to protect
them
Among those who greet me here today
observe the beaming faces OF a generation
who NUT have neen too young 70 reanEe inc
tremendous struggle OF lie ana death 70
which this occasion mainly relates, ana
whose notions about its cause and conduct
mus be din, and perhaps thoy sometimes
wonder what II was all about; But they need
not eg ct their lack OF understanding, Tor
very few Of our leading men in govern ment'
literature, legislation or politics az that tima'
or even this day, have reached doWn 70 ne
bread and truthful premises when shOulu
undsrlie any philosophical and candid con
sideration Of the or gin ana rosuIts Oh ths
war. Not remembering that that organised
aggregate of humanity called "sooiey,n the
parent Of government, derives Us character
from the character Of the labor that Supports
it-that the people OF the Norih and SCUM
were sustained by entirely different rms
Of labor-ihat the different social conditions
which resulted were origina ~ united oy tne
ties OF helpletsness and mutual depondence 10
resisting the oppressive eTaeuons OF tne
mother country and achieved the lndepend;
ence OF the Republic ard Rfteruard ried
to perfect and perpstuate the Union Of states
BY adopting the constitution that great men
Of both social conditi ms siroye earnestly
and long to maintain / Union IN spite q
the natural and irresistible diverfites when
spraug from soci, |, political and CON moIclai
antegonlsms between these dlnerent s0 .S.
conditions, the accu ulatng agErayAllons
of which no government devised by man
could represl, until IL fell to the lot Of tne
eighth generation of Am eTlosns, no longer
able TO control or harmonic tnem, 70 resots
to the arbitrament Of arms. rhep ioiloMedi
names, glorious achievements and heroic
deeds, One of these antasonstlc sooiM
forms MAD to DO crushed. Inc strength u
anything is measured by the force rsqolrea
70 break 1t. The strength Of southern 20
ciety was measured By million men ana
So coo 100000. Incidentally and necessarily
the character OF human labor became hono-
fsneous throughout the land Politloai par
ties IA no more to 10 with the cause OF tns
war than the church IN litant has y 40 WIZ
was that labor Is tho lever that moves tha
world OF human life and 10 hspn6nc ~
must 10 free. Human labor Il dodlse IN
this that ~ mqterialiies thought ana "
eatiVe in It's functions. II Is unrequlel
Wn never any portion Of It's wages arc "a
Pc dei Oh nottious values. .,, ,I,.
The nation can rem embtr with honorable
pride that southern men were great 10 war;